Students lend a hand in parish

DULAC -- Students from three states and Canada have invaded Terrebonne Parish this week armed with goodwill and curiosity about the areaís unique Cajun culture.

The large group of high-school students from Florida, Minnesota, Colorado and Vancouver is part of Youthworks, a nonprofit organization based out of Minneapolis that offers faith-based outreach programs for middle- and high-school students.

The 50 students and 18 adults have been in Houma since Sunday night, staying at Living Word Church on Valhi Drive. Arriving by either plane or vehicle, the students and their adult chaperones came to Terrebonne with several goals in mind -- helping the Gulf Coast rebuild after last yearís hurricanes Katrina and Rita and spreading the gospel of Christianity.

"Itís weeklong missions for teenagers," said Paul Bauch, an adult leader from Minnesota. "We opened a site in south Louisiana in response to Katrina."

Bauch said the five days the group spends in the program are packed with activities, beginning with a 6:45 a.m. wakeup call. The students work until 3 p.m., shower, dinner, pray and then finally call it a night before midnight.

As part of their outreach efforts, the large group has split up to better make use of their limited time in Terrebonne. While one group helps demolish a hurricane-wrecked house in Chauvin, another is helping rebuild a trailer on Grand Caillou Road in Dulac. A third group is staying within the Houma city limits and running a Bible Club for young residents of the Senator Circle public-housing complex.

The group as a whole has also visited local nursing homes, helping Habitat for Humanity in Bayou Blue and taking a road trip to New Orleans on Wednesday.

"We had alligator our first day in New Orleans," Ben Cornisc, an 18-year-old from Minnesota, said of his first encounter with Cajun culture. "It was good."

Thursday afternoon, 15 students were working in Dulac outside in the rain, finishing repairs to Lawrence Rodrigueís trailer. The trailer, which sits across the bayou on Grand Caillou Road, sustained water damage following Hurricane Rita. Rodrigue and his family are living in a FEMA trailer nearby.

"They are painting and repairing," the 56-year-old Dulac resident said. "I appreciate what they are doing because otherwise I would be doing it."

The young helpers said they have been enjoying working on Rodrigueís house, despite the heat and humidity that is typical of Louisiana in July.

Bauch said their time in south Louisiana has been an eye-opener for all of them, from seeing the damage of last yearís hurricane season to experiencing the areaís legendary southern charm.

"You donít know the impact until you see it firsthand," he said. "And the hospitality is overwhelming. The people are very, very cool."

Many of the students agreed with Bauch, saying they would travel back to Louisiana in the future because residents of Terrebonne have been so welcoming.

"The people have been awesome," said Jackie Woensdregt, 18, of Vancouver. "I love it. Itís really fun to help and the culture is so different. I love the people here."

The group of 75 people are from four church congregations and not all are the same denomination, Bauch said. While the services the group provides to the community are free, it costs each student $250 to participate.

Even though the students will be in Houma for less than a week, their mission will continue for nearly two months as various groups rotate in and out of the program throughout the summer.

"Different groups come each week to help continue the work that has been started," said Shannon Duelm, site director for Youthworks.

While this is the groupís first time branching out to Houma, Youthworks has had programs in New Orleans for the past five years after a few members of the nonprofit urged for its presence in Terrebonne.

Duelm said the organization would to continue its outreach efforts in Terrebonne in the future.

"The experience here has been amazing," she said. "The community has been very receptive."

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